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The God of All Comfort
Originally published in 1906, ‘The God of All Comfort’ by Hannah Whitall Smith, conveys an important and powerful message, that God isn’t angry with you—He longs to give you peace and joy. Hannah Smith, who suffered so much in her personal life, has an amazing Bible-based grasp of God's love for each of us.
This late nineteenth-century study holds a well-deserved spot among the Christian classics, reminding God’s children of His many promises of comfort, help, and love. Addressing God’s powerful names, His role as shepherd and dwelling place, and His complete sufficiency for human needs, this book will show you that anxiety, fear, and insecurity are unnecessary feelings for Christians.
This late nineteenth-century study holds a well-deserved spot among the Christian classics, reminding God’s children of His many promises of comfort, help, and love. Addressing God’s powerful names, His role as shepherd and dwelling place, and His complete sufficiency for human needs, this book will show you that anxiety, fear, and insecurity are unnecessary feelings for Christians.
207 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1906
163 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
Hannah Whitall Smith
207 books35 followersHannah Whitall Smith, 1832-1911
Hannah Whitall Smith was a speaker and author in the Holiness movement in the United States and the Higher Life movement in the United Kingdom. She was also active in the Women's suffrage movement and the Temperance movement, helping found the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.
Hannah was no stranger to the difficulties of life. Although she had seven children in all, only three survived to adulthood.
Hannah Whitall Smith was a speaker and author in the Holiness movement in the United States and the Higher Life movement in the United Kingdom. She was also active in the Women's suffrage movement and the Temperance movement, helping found the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.
Hannah was no stranger to the difficulties of life. Although she had seven children in all, only three survived to adulthood.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
May 12, 2019
a very refreshing book on the Christian psychology.
January 2, 2016
This is one of the best "practical theology" books I have read in a long time...in parts. There were a few chapters that caused this to not be a 5-star book - the chapter on self-examination, for example - but there were other chapters that were positively life-changing. In short, what Mrs. Smith does is hold out the dual truths of the sufficiency of God and the ability of the believer to trust in that sufficiency.
Whether one feels like Jesus is enough does not alter His character, and those feelings are not necessary to take hold of that which He offers. Conquered sin has no power, unbelief has no power. God alone has power, and that is all one needs.
I have found this book to be a great encouragement to me, especially in stirring my heart to obedience and faith. I can live as if all that God says and has promised is true because it IS.
What a great Salvation Army find; I'm interested in reading more from this wonderful (and very quotable) author.
Whether one feels like Jesus is enough does not alter His character, and those feelings are not necessary to take hold of that which He offers. Conquered sin has no power, unbelief has no power. God alone has power, and that is all one needs.
I have found this book to be a great encouragement to me, especially in stirring my heart to obedience and faith. I can live as if all that God says and has promised is true because it IS.
What a great Salvation Army find; I'm interested in reading more from this wonderful (and very quotable) author.
March 22, 2017
A fabulous devotional. Like the Gospel itself, this book's message is timeless.
June 18, 2023
Another goodie by Hannah Whitall Smith. Pretty similar to Christian secrets to a Happy Life. I probably liked Christian Secrets to a Happy Life marginally better, but maybe it’s because she repeated some ideas and I read this one second.
The 200 book has 17 short chapters, each addressing an aspect of our faith that gives us a cause to be joyful and not “uncomfortable”. Her premise is that we have too many uncomfortable Christians, Christians that complain, are discouraged, and to the unbeliever especially, look miserable.
She addresses this by saying that our God is our Father, Comforter, Healer, Strength, Hope, Shepherd, Creator, and Physician. Nothing can touch us if we only have faith to believe. Faith being taking God at his word, not mustering up an amount of spirituality, feeling, or religiousness. Her resounding message is “Stop worrying about yourself and look to the Lord!”. As expected, she is extremely bold, which can be shocking, but also refreshing. Ex: she argues that there is absolutely no need for “self-examination”. Overall an encouraging read!
The 200 book has 17 short chapters, each addressing an aspect of our faith that gives us a cause to be joyful and not “uncomfortable”. Her premise is that we have too many uncomfortable Christians, Christians that complain, are discouraged, and to the unbeliever especially, look miserable.
She addresses this by saying that our God is our Father, Comforter, Healer, Strength, Hope, Shepherd, Creator, and Physician. Nothing can touch us if we only have faith to believe. Faith being taking God at his word, not mustering up an amount of spirituality, feeling, or religiousness. Her resounding message is “Stop worrying about yourself and look to the Lord!”. As expected, she is extremely bold, which can be shocking, but also refreshing. Ex: she argues that there is absolutely no need for “self-examination”. Overall an encouraging read!
October 20, 2021
One of my favorite books. I frequently pick it up and re-read a chapter here and there.
May 7, 2022
Second book that I've read by this author and I loved it every bit as much as the first one I read of hers.
July 1, 2018
A short but very rich book that caused me to stop and ponder what the author was saying many times. Lots of applicable references to Scripture. Reading this book deepened my love for my Savior Jesus Christ!
November 6, 2024
I found this book somewhat surprising.
I went into it with a healthy dose of skepticism. I knew that Hannah Whitall Smith was part of the holiness movement, that she's considered a mystic by some, a spicy theologian by others, and all around not that fashionable right now.
I left the book understanding why she might be considered a mystic and a bit spicy, but thought that overall there were more good points to the book than there were bad points. I also think that she is a bit more fashionable than people realize. There's been a bit of a movement recently in evangelical circles in the United States, the "But God" movement. I am fully aware that this phrase is biblical, and that the Bible is the ultimate source of the phrase, but it's recently become popular, and I'm uncertain if people know that it was popular once before...in Hannah Whitall Smith. Granted, hers was a bit wordier "But still there is God", however, the sentiment is largely the same. Therefore it seems possible that Smith has come back into vogue, or that, much like the cycle of heresy where things once dealt with crop back up again, the cycle of theological discovery has turned once more and we have again remembered the truth of the statement 'But God'. I just found it amusing that some of the people who I have heard use the phrase 'but God' are the same people who decry Mrs. Smith. I'm guessing that it's because they haven't actually read her.
Although I say that I got more enlightenment out of this book than heresy, there were definitely places that caused much brow arching as I read. Part of that is simply because of the time frame in which it was written. 19th century authors had very few qualms about addressing their audiences directly, and they also had zero problems with creating vague stories in order to make a point and ascribing reality to them. I got very tired of the "I once knew a believer who" stories that were patently created out of Mrs. Smith's mind. The stories were inevitably trite, shallow, and entirely too pat by half, so anyone with a halfway bent toward skepticism would find them irritating and feel as though their intelligence was being insulted...at least that's how I felt when I read them...maybe that says more me than it does about the stories.
But it wasn't just the quaintness of the writing style. There were occasions where Mrs. Smith went off the deep end. It was in such an odd way though. On page 17 of the book she said that "We must refuse to believe anything concerning God that is not revealed to us in Christ. All other revelations are partial and therefore not wholly true." If you take her words as they are, then you come away with the conclusion that general revelation is faulty, that creation can tell us only partial truths about God, and that the old testament, and indeed most of the new testament, where Christ is not present, are also presenting partial truths about God and are not to be trusted. That's what she says, but that's not how she acts, or writes. She is constantly quoting scripture in this book, and it's scripture from all over the place, not just the words of Christ. So, clearly she doesn't actually believe what she wrote, or she wouldn't use old testament scripture to prove a point that she is making about who God is.
It did make me think though. I remember sitting in Bible class and being taught that Christ was the only 200% human, that he was 100% God and 100% human. It's a basic point of theology that opposes gnosticism. But reading the book made me think about the concept of incarnation to a greater degree and understand how very much of a separation it was for Christ and God. Christ is 100% God, even in his incarnate form. But God is not 100% Christ. It's a simple thing to say, it's part of the catechism of faith. But it's profound and has a lot of implications. God cannot die. Christ did. God cannot be tempted. Christ was. God is not limited except by the limits he places on himself, Christ was limited as we are limited. God doesn't hunger or thirst. Christ did. If Christ longed for his father and the power and the majesty that he left behind to be clothed in flesh, did God long for his son and all the experiences that being clothed in flesh entailed?
I don't know the answer to that question. I had never thought of it before reading this book.
There are places in the book where Mrs. Smith outright contradicts herself, there are places where her arguments are...well...juvenile. But there are also places where she seems to have her finger on the pulse of humanity.
One such place was on page 38 when she said "It is pure and simple unbelief that is at the bottom of all our lack of comfort, and absolutely nothing else. God comforts us on every side, but we simply do not believe his words of comfort."
I have to admit, she got me there.
I know that there is a distinct problem in the church of taking verses outside of their context, taking a promise intended for Israel and applying it towards modern evangelicals, for instance. But it also seems to me that fear of this misapplication is causing some people, me for instance, to go too far in the opposite direction and think that therefore none of the promises could possibly apply to us.
Another place that I feel she is on to something is on page 122 when she talks about how "the eyes of most of us are continually turned inward, and our gaze is filled on our own interior states and feelings to such an extent that self, and not Christ, has come at last to fill the whole horizon." As long as we are looking at our self, even if from the positive intention of examining ourselves for sin, then that is taking away from our ability to look unto Christ, and it makes us miserable. I thought this was an interesting point to make, especially because I just finished Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier last week and the two books agree that too much concentration on ourselves is morbidly unhealthy, in our physical and mental lives, and in our spiritual lives as well.
I thought the book was very interesting because there was such tension between the mental and the sentimental. She and C.S. Lewis made some of the same points, that feelings of exaltation are transitory and shouldn't be allowed to determine the success of the Christian walk, but then she went in a completely different direction where the will becomes the all-powerful tool to bring about faith. That faith and belief are choices. That affirmation, vocal, constant affirmation of truths is enough to bring about faith. That doesn't seem all that mystical to me, but it's also clearly not all that intellectual either.
I don't really know what I think about it. I didn't really enjoy the process of reading it, but it did make me think. I didn't agree with everything, but I thought there were some very good points, if only because it made me confront my own aspects of unbelief.
I went into it with a healthy dose of skepticism. I knew that Hannah Whitall Smith was part of the holiness movement, that she's considered a mystic by some, a spicy theologian by others, and all around not that fashionable right now.
I left the book understanding why she might be considered a mystic and a bit spicy, but thought that overall there were more good points to the book than there were bad points. I also think that she is a bit more fashionable than people realize. There's been a bit of a movement recently in evangelical circles in the United States, the "But God" movement. I am fully aware that this phrase is biblical, and that the Bible is the ultimate source of the phrase, but it's recently become popular, and I'm uncertain if people know that it was popular once before...in Hannah Whitall Smith. Granted, hers was a bit wordier "But still there is God", however, the sentiment is largely the same. Therefore it seems possible that Smith has come back into vogue, or that, much like the cycle of heresy where things once dealt with crop back up again, the cycle of theological discovery has turned once more and we have again remembered the truth of the statement 'But God'. I just found it amusing that some of the people who I have heard use the phrase 'but God' are the same people who decry Mrs. Smith. I'm guessing that it's because they haven't actually read her.
Although I say that I got more enlightenment out of this book than heresy, there were definitely places that caused much brow arching as I read. Part of that is simply because of the time frame in which it was written. 19th century authors had very few qualms about addressing their audiences directly, and they also had zero problems with creating vague stories in order to make a point and ascribing reality to them. I got very tired of the "I once knew a believer who" stories that were patently created out of Mrs. Smith's mind. The stories were inevitably trite, shallow, and entirely too pat by half, so anyone with a halfway bent toward skepticism would find them irritating and feel as though their intelligence was being insulted...at least that's how I felt when I read them...maybe that says more me than it does about the stories.
But it wasn't just the quaintness of the writing style. There were occasions where Mrs. Smith went off the deep end. It was in such an odd way though. On page 17 of the book she said that "We must refuse to believe anything concerning God that is not revealed to us in Christ. All other revelations are partial and therefore not wholly true." If you take her words as they are, then you come away with the conclusion that general revelation is faulty, that creation can tell us only partial truths about God, and that the old testament, and indeed most of the new testament, where Christ is not present, are also presenting partial truths about God and are not to be trusted. That's what she says, but that's not how she acts, or writes. She is constantly quoting scripture in this book, and it's scripture from all over the place, not just the words of Christ. So, clearly she doesn't actually believe what she wrote, or she wouldn't use old testament scripture to prove a point that she is making about who God is.
It did make me think though. I remember sitting in Bible class and being taught that Christ was the only 200% human, that he was 100% God and 100% human. It's a basic point of theology that opposes gnosticism. But reading the book made me think about the concept of incarnation to a greater degree and understand how very much of a separation it was for Christ and God. Christ is 100% God, even in his incarnate form. But God is not 100% Christ. It's a simple thing to say, it's part of the catechism of faith. But it's profound and has a lot of implications. God cannot die. Christ did. God cannot be tempted. Christ was. God is not limited except by the limits he places on himself, Christ was limited as we are limited. God doesn't hunger or thirst. Christ did. If Christ longed for his father and the power and the majesty that he left behind to be clothed in flesh, did God long for his son and all the experiences that being clothed in flesh entailed?
I don't know the answer to that question. I had never thought of it before reading this book.
There are places in the book where Mrs. Smith outright contradicts herself, there are places where her arguments are...well...juvenile. But there are also places where she seems to have her finger on the pulse of humanity.
One such place was on page 38 when she said "It is pure and simple unbelief that is at the bottom of all our lack of comfort, and absolutely nothing else. God comforts us on every side, but we simply do not believe his words of comfort."
I have to admit, she got me there.
I know that there is a distinct problem in the church of taking verses outside of their context, taking a promise intended for Israel and applying it towards modern evangelicals, for instance. But it also seems to me that fear of this misapplication is causing some people, me for instance, to go too far in the opposite direction and think that therefore none of the promises could possibly apply to us.
Another place that I feel she is on to something is on page 122 when she talks about how "the eyes of most of us are continually turned inward, and our gaze is filled on our own interior states and feelings to such an extent that self, and not Christ, has come at last to fill the whole horizon." As long as we are looking at our self, even if from the positive intention of examining ourselves for sin, then that is taking away from our ability to look unto Christ, and it makes us miserable. I thought this was an interesting point to make, especially because I just finished Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier last week and the two books agree that too much concentration on ourselves is morbidly unhealthy, in our physical and mental lives, and in our spiritual lives as well.
I thought the book was very interesting because there was such tension between the mental and the sentimental. She and C.S. Lewis made some of the same points, that feelings of exaltation are transitory and shouldn't be allowed to determine the success of the Christian walk, but then she went in a completely different direction where the will becomes the all-powerful tool to bring about faith. That faith and belief are choices. That affirmation, vocal, constant affirmation of truths is enough to bring about faith. That doesn't seem all that mystical to me, but it's also clearly not all that intellectual either.
I don't really know what I think about it. I didn't really enjoy the process of reading it, but it did make me think. I didn't agree with everything, but I thought there were some very good points, if only because it made me confront my own aspects of unbelief.
November 4, 2013
I am fascinated by Hannah Whitall Smith. In The God of All Comfort, she says the many names of God explain who He is. "They reveal some of His special characteristics... These names were discovered by God's people in times of sore need." (p. 79)
If I am to find purpose in suffering, then it would be in discovering more about God's ability to meet me at my point of need. Struggles will never be won in my own power. Creative break-throughs will never come because of my own genius. Only as I rely on God's vast supply for my every need, will I discover more of who He is.
What do you need today? Hope? Wisdom? Comfort? Get out your Bible and turn to the Concordance in the back. Look up those words and more. Let God reveal Himself to you today through the pages of His Word. Let Him be your Healer, Shelter and Rock!
If I am to find purpose in suffering, then it would be in discovering more about God's ability to meet me at my point of need. Struggles will never be won in my own power. Creative break-throughs will never come because of my own genius. Only as I rely on God's vast supply for my every need, will I discover more of who He is.
What do you need today? Hope? Wisdom? Comfort? Get out your Bible and turn to the Concordance in the back. Look up those words and more. Let God reveal Himself to you today through the pages of His Word. Let Him be your Healer, Shelter and Rock!
August 17, 2009
If your love receptors are damaged, this is a must to dismantle your untruth with the truth of God and His love for you. She knows how to effectively articulate common misconceptions and faulty thinking on the human part that denies us receiving and believing God about Himself and about what He says about us. For those with broken lives, broken hearts, past failures and wounded by others, this is a journey of healing. You won't be the same after you're done.
February 1, 2013
Rarely do we find a treatise on life and Christianity from a source that is both about as straight-shooting as they come and as sweetly encouraging. Smith tells like it is and cuts through the sentimentality and the cliches that are often pushed upon struggling Christians. Instead, she offers unvarnished truth in a way that is always inspiring and never judgmental. One of the best "Christian living" books I've read.
October 8, 2008
This is another wonderful book by Miss Smith. She has a wonderful way of looking at life's crisis with an all powerful, all knowing, all caring God in mind. It is comforting and will help the Christian to look at life's struggles a little differently. A fabulous book that I would love to give to all my christian friends.
November 2, 2015
This book is for Christians only. Those who are not saved, need to trust in Christ for salvation before they can benefit from this book. Much Scripture is used, however, no Scripture references are used. It is good teaching but very poor in retrieval for later use. There is no subject or topic index of any kind.
Want to read
January 3, 2009Who wouldn't want to read about the secret of this abundant life and victory over defeat?! I'm not sure where this book came from, other than Divine intervention. I look forward to taking the time to read this one!
February 3, 2018
This book was all well and good until in chapter 4, page 66, the author makes the argument that being broken, or at least appearing broken, means that we don’t trust God enough. Apparently, since Psalm 23 tells us that God is a good shepherd, any problems we have must be because we are failing to let Him care for us.
From page 69:
“No wonder unbelievers aren’t drawn into the church. No wonder that in some churches there are no conversions from one end of the year to another. We must have a fold that show sheep in good condition if we expect outsiders to come in.
You can’t fail to care about the dishonor you bring upon your divine Shepherd by your poor condition.”
That point of view isn’t inspirational, it’s shaming. And actually, a church full of broken people is exactly the kind of church I want to be a part of! I don’t want a church full of people who fight and struggle all week and then put on their best suit and their biggest smile on Sunday morning. I want a church full of REAL people who are honest about their REAL problems and struggles.
Anyway, after reading that, I decided this isn’t a book that I feel the need to finish.
From page 69:
“No wonder unbelievers aren’t drawn into the church. No wonder that in some churches there are no conversions from one end of the year to another. We must have a fold that show sheep in good condition if we expect outsiders to come in.
You can’t fail to care about the dishonor you bring upon your divine Shepherd by your poor condition.”
That point of view isn’t inspirational, it’s shaming. And actually, a church full of broken people is exactly the kind of church I want to be a part of! I don’t want a church full of people who fight and struggle all week and then put on their best suit and their biggest smile on Sunday morning. I want a church full of REAL people who are honest about their REAL problems and struggles.
Anyway, after reading that, I decided this isn’t a book that I feel the need to finish.
August 27, 2021
4.75/5
On a technical level, the writing had its flaws, such as the consistent failure to cite authors or Biblical passages. To be fair, the author does recognize her shortcomings in the introduction and asks the readers to not let that deter them from her overarching theme.
On a practical level, this book was very convicting and insightful. There is a fervent call to stand on the truth of who God is and what He has said is true of Him and of us. Once you get through the book, it just makes a lot of sense. Becoming acquainted with God, and knowing Him, and what He does, says, and feels naturally yields stability, comfort, and peace.
If you do not have a spiritual life that you would deem as characterized by the comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding (and circumstances), this book has convinced me that it isn't too bold to say that you just dont know God well enough. "Taste and see that the Lord is good."
Would definitely recommend and would most likely re-read.
On a technical level, the writing had its flaws, such as the consistent failure to cite authors or Biblical passages. To be fair, the author does recognize her shortcomings in the introduction and asks the readers to not let that deter them from her overarching theme.
On a practical level, this book was very convicting and insightful. There is a fervent call to stand on the truth of who God is and what He has said is true of Him and of us. Once you get through the book, it just makes a lot of sense. Becoming acquainted with God, and knowing Him, and what He does, says, and feels naturally yields stability, comfort, and peace.
If you do not have a spiritual life that you would deem as characterized by the comfort and peace that surpasses all understanding (and circumstances), this book has convinced me that it isn't too bold to say that you just dont know God well enough. "Taste and see that the Lord is good."
Would definitely recommend and would most likely re-read.
April 4, 2021
Hannah is such a good writer, I have been so blessed and challenged by this book and her other one on the Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life. Her simplistic writing is so great, she doesn’t make the truth difficult. If God is who He says He is, then our part is to just believe Him and trust Him. Hannah has helped me in seeing the God of all comfort has sufficient reason for me to trust Him.
“The kingdom of God could not possibly be overadvertised, nor the Lord Jesus Christ overestimated, for eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him; and that all the difficulty arises from the fact that we have underbelieved and undertrusted.”
“The kingdom of God could not possibly be overadvertised, nor the Lord Jesus Christ overestimated, for eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him; and that all the difficulty arises from the fact that we have underbelieved and undertrusted.”
August 14, 2021
I have VERY mixed feelings about this book! When I was first reading it, it was SO good, and I was sure it was going to become a top favorite and be given 5 stars. But the more I read it, there were some things I disagreed with, which is every book pretty much. But the things I disagreed with make me very hesitant to recommend it. I think some of the teaching can be harmful, such as not sharing your discouragement with anyone(really??), and not sharing your pain with God(why??).
But that being said, the book really did help and encourage me with many things! I would just only recommend it if you are a more mature Christian who will be very discerning as you read.
But that being said, the book really did help and encourage me with many things! I would just only recommend it if you are a more mature Christian who will be very discerning as you read.
November 3, 2020
A escrita é simples, com a autora quase assumindo um tom de conversa com o leitor a fim de lembrá-lo daquilo que a Escritura diz: o poder de Deus, Seu amor e Seu caráter. Algumas verdades de que fui lembrada; o senão percebido é a ausência de indicações precisas das citações bíblicas; nem todas eu pude localizar.
August 6, 2021
Hannah sure knows how to deliver a spiritual punch. I mean that in a good way. I walked away with a deeper understanding of myself, but more importantly, of God, and how to live more fully by faith and in obedience. I liked it so well, I want to close the book, re-open it, and re-read it. Definitely a keeper!
October 9, 2023
.
As I reread this devotional classic, I was challenged again to take God at His Word and trust
Him to be my Father, Shepherd and Dwelling Place and everything else I need Him to be.
Hannah Whitall Smith does a masterful job of reminding us that He is the God who is enough..
May 27, 2025
A good book for inspiration for those who search for it or are in need of the message about God that is comforting and healing, but for me, it felt like the usual message with little new and fresh in it, rather just explaining with more words what the bible tells. Sometimes that is needed, and some will find it good in this book.
October 12, 2017
Life changing
July 9, 2019
A must read for all Christians
Currently reading
December 1, 2019Christian library recommendation
October 17, 2020
Encouraging to the Christian. Putting God first and believing His Word
Read
October 19, 2021Her faith was so strong. Read for a paper I needed to write but bought the book for future references and encouragement.
May 3, 2022
So good and helpful.
June 28, 2022
The chapter on the Lord our Shepherd changed my life. A few chapters were a bit dry for me - but I always found something helpful and challenging in each one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews